Expanding earth anchor



Feb. 19, 1935. J. BLACKBURN EXPANDING EARTH AN C-HOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 22, 1930 Feb. 19,1935. 4 J, BLACKBURN 1,991,488

EXPANDING EARTH ANCHOR Filed Sept. 22, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-.7 F|6.c5 F-|e.3

[/7 Ve/war JA SPE'R. BLACKBURN ffo'rmey Patented Feb. 19, 1935 iUNITEDLSTATES PATENT] OFFICE My invention relates to improvements in-earth anchors, and has for its primary object an earth anchor of the expanding type which is so constructed that the greatest possible amount of hole.

. A further object is to construct an earth anchor of the expanding type in such a manner that the outersides of each fluke aresupported by thebase.

A still further object is to construct an earth preventing a twistof the flukes.

nect the spider and the expansible flukestofj, an earth anchonwith separate link elements which can be readily inserted'intosaid spider and fluke, members without the aid of tools, and which when 1,991,488 EXPANDING EARTH ANCHOR Jasper Blackburn, Webster" Groves, M0. Application September 22, 1930, Serial No. 483,417 Q 15 Claims. "(Cl.'j1$992) so placed in positionwill not accidentally. become duringQthef expanding.

disengaged therefrom.

anchor in which the under surface of each fluke is provided with sliding ribs, thereby greatly eliminating friction between the flukes and base as the fiukes are forced outward.

. -The base9 is also-provided with a projection Astill further object is to construct an earth 201WhiCh'haS a central recess 21 and grooves. 22;

the'grooves 22 and recess 21 extending radially, the recess;21 receiving aguide rib 23, formed on the fluke 24 while the grooves 22 receive the slide ribs 25 formed on the underneath surfaceof the .ln the drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevation-of my fluke 24.

device showing the anchor in collapsed position.

the guy rod in section.

with the guy rod and one of the links removed.

flukes removed.

boss of the base.

; Figures 8 and 9 are horizontalsections taken on the fluke.

along the lines 88 and 99 respectively, of; leading into the latterh Fig. 7.

Figure'lo is a top plan view of the three nukes. being assembled on the-boss, the spider and link not being shown.

Figures 11 and. 12" are perspective views of the upper and under sides 'respectiVeIy of the uppera neck or groove 36. r

manner; The upper endof the guy rod is provided with an eye l4 through which a guy wire is passed. This eye may be either formed integrally with the rod 13.0r itmay be secured thereon in fluke surfacecan enter the ground around the. any well-known. manner, this particular feature forming no part-of my present invention.

' The base 9is alsoprovidedwith a radially ex.- tending slot or'groove 15 in which the-guide tongue 16 formed onthe underneath surface of the fluke 17 passes. Parallel .to the guide 16 are ribs 18,

anchor which is provided with guide ribs, thereby also formed on the 2 underneath surface" of the 1 1 I fluke. 17.. and which rideonthe' upper surface of Another object of my invention is to interconthe base. 9. The fluke, 17 is also provided with a substantially radially elongated slot 19 which surrounds the lowerportion of the central boss 11. The inner 'end of the opening 19 is closed so as toprevent the fluke from being dr The base 9 is also provided with an upwardly Fig. 2 a top plan view of the same showing extending portion 26 provided with a central rap dially extending groove 27 andwith an additional, Fig. 3 is atop plan view of the anchor expanded; groove 28 to either side, the groove 2'7 receiving the guide tongue 29 on the flukes, while the Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the base with the auxiliary grooves 28 receive the slides 31 formed Extending upwardly from each of the flukes is a socket 32 having an overhanging 1 flange 50 to form an undercut portion therebelow, Figure 7 is a side elevation detail of th central. and with a laterally extendingcut-out 51 through said flange so as to provide an opening thereacross equal to the width of said undercut portion a -,Said socket is designed to receive the lower endof a'link 34, while the" upper end of the latter is provided with a'somewhat similar head 35 with Slidably mounted on the rod 13 is a spider 38', having a plurality of divergent arms which are preferably hollow so as to provide chambers 37 on the underside thereof, Each of these chambers is provided with a top and arear wall, and with substantially vertically extending spaced apart flanges or ribs 39, whereby the chamber thus formed is open along its bottom and front. Substantially horizontal flanges 40 project toward one janother and extendsubstantially continu ously from the bottom and front edges of the flanges 39 without a break, to thereby partially close upthe underside of the front of the chamber,

iven off the boss" end of the link may be readily inserted through the flanges and into the chamber 3'7 of the spider socket when the head is so positioned to bring the projections 52 into vertical alignment. The neck 1 portion of the top end of the link is of such a thickness that it may be rotated within the chamher when said projections are within the chamber. After the head has been inserted within the chamber and then given a quarter turn, the projections 52 will overhang thehori'zontal flanges 40 and thereby prevent the link frompulling or dropping out of the socket. The head 35 may be flattened and narrowed thereacrossso that the link maybe readily inserted into the chamber of the spider arm, in the manner just described;

The lower. portions of the links are also flattened and formed with'a reduced neck portion and oppositely directed pair of projections 33 there-- beyond, somewhat similarlyrto the other end of the link, but it is to be noted that the projections at both ends of the link extend in the same directions, respectively, and that the head at the lower end of the'link. will pass into the socket 32 only when the link is in a predetermined position relatively thereto, the projections 33 passing into said socket through the cut-outs 51 only.

In inserting the links, the upperendispref erably first inserted, by rotating the link so that the upper head will-pass interiorly of the chamber or socket between the opposed flanges 40, after which the'linkv is given a quarter turn'to place the projections 52 so that they overlie the flanges 40 and prevent the links from dropping out of the spider arm. The lower end of the link is then brought adjacent the respective socket 32, with the projections 33 registering with the cut-outs 51, and then a slight blow is given the lower end of the link when so positioned, to actuate the latter into-the interior of the socket, and thus securing the lower ends of the links in position, all of which has heretofore been set forth in my co-pending application Serial No. 447,897, flled April 28, 1930, which became abandoned April 12, 1932.

In. addition to the details of construction hereinbefore set forth, it is to be. particularly noted that the arms of the spider and of the sockets 32 are provided with a convex bearing surface to provide additional bearing surfaces for the links. The underside of the arms of the spider 38 are rounded or formed with a convex bearing surface or flanges 41 on their lower forward edges, so that said convex flanges bear against the co-operating concave flanges 42 of the top heads of. the links, below said reduced neck portions, to thereby provide what might be 65 termed radius bearings. The -sockets 32 are similarly rounded at 43 to provide convex or arcuate radius bearings on which the arcuateor concave flanges or projections 44 of the lower ends of the links may ride. I obtain a wide bearing area at eachend of the link, and which makes a much stronger connection between the links and their co-operating members. 1 7

It is to be noted that the boss 11 is not'of uniform horizontal shape and cross-section, but

By this construction upon the contrary differs at different vertically spaced distances, so as to, permit of a quick and easy assembling of the flukes thereon. As shown most clearly in Figs. '7, 8 and 9, the projecting part of the boss at the lowermost level is of substantially square cross-section as indicated at 53, I the thickness of said squared section being ap- I sides being indicated at 55 and the rounded corners being indicated at 56. The uppermost portion 57 of the boss 11 is rectangular in crosssection, the width of the same being equal to I the width across theflat sides 55 of the next lower portion, but the length being greater so that the ends project beyond the ends of the same.

It is to'be further noted that the flukes have the radially elongated openings 19 of equal width, equal to or preferably slightly greater than the diameter of the circular section 54 of the boss, slightly greater than the width across'the'flat. sides of the sections 53, 55, and 57, so that the flukes may be rotated about onlythe circular cross-section 54. The uppermost fluke is pro vided with an enlargement 190 at one side edge or the opening 19 at some point-intermediate"the inner and outer ends of the-latter. v

In assembling the flukes upon the base the lowermost fluke 1'7 is positionedso that its openso-z ing 19 is in alignment with the rectangularly', Y

tion ceasing when the rib 29 0f the fluke 30 'is' in alignment with the guide groo-ve'2'7. 'In said" last-mentioned position of the fluke 30,'theprojecting ends of the boss 11 overlies or overhangs the top surface of the fluke to either side of the opening 19. 7 After 'the flukes are thus assembled, the spider is placed on the rod -13,and the links'34 then manipulated, first by insertion of their uppermost ends into the spider sockets and then given a quarter turn therein, and then the lower ends are inserted between the ribs of the fluke sockets, in the manner hereinbefore set forth.

It will be noted from. Fig; 3 that when the anchor is fully expanded, the ends 45 ofeach of the flukes project within the periphery-of the base 9; in other words, the ends 45 of the fluke 17 rest directly on the base. One end 45' of the fluke 24 rests on the end 45 of the fluke 17, while the other end is supported on a-projection 46 extending upward from the base 9.

The next fluke is similarly'dropped 1 One end of the fluke 30 in turn is supported by one'end 45 0f against the sockets 32 of the fluke 17, thisrotaflukes are firmly supported'sor-that springing; tendency of the nukes, when the anchor is ex-. panded is greatly reduced, ifnot entirelyelimie nated.

'It is to be understood, of course, that the flukes are expanded in the usual manner, thatis, by striking the spider 38 with a-tamping bar or. tool for forcing it down and causing the links tomov the flukes outward into the solid earth. V

It is alsoto be understood that prior to placing the anchor, a,hole is drilled intotheground by means ofa boring tool; then. when the proper depth of hole has been reached, the anchor is lowered to the bottom and then the flukes are expanded, so as to be forced into the solid earth surrounding the hole, filledup. m 1

' Having fully described, my invention, what I claim is: v n 1 1.,An earth anchor comprising abase, ,aguy rod secured to said base, a plurality of radially extensible flukes mounted onsaid base, sockets projecting upwardlyfrom said "fiukes, a" spider mounted for verticalmovementon said guy rod, links pivotally secured at their opposite ends in said'spider and sockets, and ribs extending across the ends of said spider and sockets for providing a bearing surface. x

2. The earth anchor-of claim 1 in which the under surface of the flukes is provided with means for preventing twisting of said flukes and with means for reducing the frictional area of the flukes on said base.

3. An earth anchor comprising a base, an upwardly projecting boss formed centrally of said base, a guy rod secured in said boss, a plurality of flukes mounted on said base, a spider slidably mounted 'on said guy rod, said spider having arcuate bearings formed thereon, arcuate bearings formed on said fiukes, and links for connecting said spider and flukes whereby said flukes are moved outwardly and having complementary arcuate bearings engageable with the bearings on said spider and flukes. V

4. An earth anchor comprising a base, an upwardly projecting boss formed centrally of said base, a guy rod secured in said boss, a plurality of flukes mounted on said base, a socket having an arcuate thrust bearing on each of said flukes, a spider slidably mounted on said guy rod, said spider'having arcuate thrust bearings formed thereon, and links having complementary arcuate bearings for engaging said bearingson said spider and flukes to interconnect thelatter.

5. An earth anchor comprising a base, a guy rod secured thereto, a plurality of flukes mounted on said base, means for supporting said flukes at their'sides on said base, guide ribs between the under surface of said flukes and said base to prevent sidewise movement of said fiukes thereon, a

spider slidably mounted on said rod, additional.

ribs between said flukes and base to form a sliding surface of reduced area as compared with the entire opposed surfaces therebetween, to reduce the frictional area between said surfaces as said flukes are moved outwardly, and links pivotally secured at their ends to the spider and iiukes whereby the latter are moved outwardly when said spider is moved downwardly on the guy rod.

6. An expanding earth anchor comprising a base, a guy rod thereon; a plurality of laterally extensible fiukes on said base and provided with upwardly projecting sockets, a spider movable longitudinally on said rod, links pivotally secured at their opposite ends in said spider and sockets after-which. the hole, is

of said base, and cooperatively engageable'bearing ribs extendingacross the ends of said spider, sockets and links to provide bearing surfaces exteriorly of the ribs of said sockets and spider and take the thrust transmitted throughsaid links.

' 17. In anearth anchor comprising a basehaving a centralprojection, a rod securedin said projection, a spider slidably mounted on said rod,

whereby one end must be positioned in said spider and then partially rotated before the other end may be secured to said fluke, and whereby said fiukes are forced outwardly when the spider is. moved downwardly.

8. In an earth anchor comprising a base, a rod secured on said base, a plurality of radially movable fiukes on saidbase, a spider slidably mounted on said rod, said spider being provided with chambered arms, a link having a head car-- rie'dby each of said arms and of minimum thickness when in a predetermined positionso that said head may be inserted into the chambered portion when the head is so positioned only, and with projections to retain said head therein when the link is turned, and means carried by said flukes for securing the opposite ends of said links whereby said links are prevented from turning and becoming detached from said spider.

9. In an earth anchor comprising a base, a plurality of flukes carried thereby, a rod in said base, a spider having chambered arms slidably mounted on said rod, said chambers having their bottom and front ends open, said openings being continuously of less width than the interior of said chamber, links provided with heads removably carried in said chambers, and a socket carried by each of the fiukes for receiving the opposite end of one of said links.

' 10. In an earth anchor having a base, a rod secured thereto, a plurality of radially movable flukes located on said base, a spider slidably mounted on said rod, said spider having chambered arms, and links for actuating said flukes to expanded position, means for connecting said links and flukes and spider and including a head thereof are retained in the chambered arms of the spider.

11. In an earth anchor the combination with a base, a rod and a plurality of movable fiukes thereon, a spider slidably mounted on said rod, and sockets on said flukes and spider, of links interconnecting the spider and flukes for expanding the latter and having their ends insertable within said sockets, the opposite ends ofsaid linksbeing so shaped that they will enter their respective socket in a predetermined position only, and one end must first be inserted into its socket and then the link rotated a quarter turn aboutits longitudinal axis before the other end may be inserted into its socket.

and flukes whereby said fiukes are moved outwardly when said spider is moved downwardly.

13. An earth anchor comprising a base, a guy rod secured to said base, a plurality of'flukes mounted on said base, means for supporting said fiukes at their sides on said base when the latter are expanded, ribs on the under surface of said flukes for forming a sliding surface to reduce the frictional area of said flukes on said base, a spider slidably mounted on said rod, and links pivotally secured at their ends to said spider and fiukes whereby said fiukes are moved radially outwardly when said spider is moved downwardly on said rod. 7

14. An expansible earth anchor comprising a base, a guy rod thereon, a plurality of flukes said links. H

movable in unison laterally across said base and having link sockets, a spider movable on said rod and having link sockets, linksconnectin'g said sockets of said spider and flukes to actuate the latter laterally upon movement of theformer, and arcuate bearing ribs on one of the ends or said links and the exterior of said co-operating sockets to take the thrust transmitted through 15 An earth anchor comprisinga base, awboss extending upwardly therefrom, a guy rod insaid boss, a spider slidably mounted on said rod, a plurality of fiukes'movable slidably laterally'on' said base and each having an elongated slotl through which said boss extends, said slots closed adjacent their inner ends to prevent movement of the flukes past the boss in one direction, and the uppermost fluke having saidslot enlarged in width intermediate its ends to permit partial rotation of said fluke thereat about said boss to assemble said fluke on said boss, and links connecting said flukes and spider whereby movement of the latter longitudinally on the rodwil] transmit lateral movement to said fiukes.

JASPER BLACKBURN; 

